In Between the Lines
by SpaceisforStars
Summary: These are little chapters I will update when something interesting happens in my life or I have no inspiration to begin writing another chapter or my stories. Basically anyone can read, there are some references to my stories. Enjoy the randomness :D
1. Chapter 1

Okay so here is a short little chapter: in between the lines based on my night camping on the beach. :D  
Okay the basis of my night was like this, 8 people, 4 girls, 4 guys. There was one couple there but in this Bleach-ified version that is non existent. There was no kissing/ making out between the sexes because my friends mom and that same friends sister's boyfriend (who I will call SF) was down there. There wasn't any crazy truth or dare games either it was just a lot of fun.  
But yes, my night did pretty much go exactly like this.  
Since the 4th is coming up and I'm going to be going on vacation I decided to write out the continuation of the story while there.  
But once I type that chapter up this little in between chapter is going to go into a new story, In Between the Lines, just look for it in my profile the next time I update.  
Oh and I thought of a new idea for a story, just check out my profile for the short idea and then vote/message/review so I know if ya like it!  
Thankss~*  
On with the In Between Chapter!

* * *

*~A Night at the Beach~*

"Okay so who is going to go tonight?" I asked Matsumoto. Tonight we are going to the human world to camp out on the beach, and everyone is pumped. Even Toshiro, which is saying something!

"Well there is going to be: you, me, Shiro; of course. Uhmm also Rukia, that Ichigo kid, Yachiru, Kenpachi, and Renji."

"Why Ichigo?" I asked, "I thought he was still locked up?"

"Nah they were released 'case they agreed to help us."

"Ooooh. So when are we leaving?"

"Everyone is meeting in the office at… oh my gosh! Now!"

"What? You just told me!"

"Well pack fast, bye!"

The line went dead.

Ah, crap. Okay, okay, okay. Don't freak out, pack quickly what do I need... Got it!

Pillow, check.

Blanket, check.

Candy, check. 'You know Yachiru is going to eat most of that?' Celest asked. Yep that's the reason I'm bringing it, I thought back to her.

Extra clothes, check.

Heading out the door I remembered the most important thing.

"Bathing suit!" Check, I added mentally.

Transporting to the office I saw the everyone else.

"Hey guys!"

"What took you so long?" Toshiro scolded.

"Ran-chan called me two minutes ago, when everyone was supposed to show up."

"Enough with the blaming, lets just head to the gates and go, go, go!" Rangiku called.

Everyone sweat dropped but followed her out the door and to the gates. When Toshiro showed the gate keepers the 'permission slip', as Ichigo calls it, we were all allowed to pass through.

When we arrived on the beach the first thing I did was look up at the stars. It was beautiful, just as I remember.

"So where are we?" Rukia asked.

Rangiku is the only one who could answer but currently she was struggling with a cooler. It was on top of a huge, and I mean huge, pile of what appears to be everyones stuff. Rangiku struggled to get the cooler so much that everything just collapsed onto her. This was immediately followed by sweat drops from everyone yet again. *

"So I'll start setting up the tent," Ichigo said.

"I bet I can set up the other one before you can!" Renji challenged.

Yachiru started to root for Ichigo, calling, "Go strawberry! Go, go, go!"

"Stop… calling… me… strawberry!" Was Ichigo's retaliation to the accursed nickname.

"Keep calling him strawberry, it will distract him!" Renji shouted from his collapsing tent.

"#(%&$^!" **

"Renji watch your mouth!" Toshiro called which resulted in more curses and sweat drops from the sane people.

"Yes, done!" Ichigo called. His tent, which is the bigger of the two was set up perfectly.

It was a three room tent, two girls for each of the wings and the guys are going to share the middle section. At least that's the plan. The tent Renji tried to set up was hanging from one of the stakes and he stood in front of it with his shoulders slumped and a pout plastered on his face.

"Ugh, Rangiku; come on lets go for a walk." Renji said starting to walk off. Rangiku followed like a lost puppy.

"So who wants to roast marshmallows while they're gone?" Yachiru posed.

"I do!" All the present members agreed.

Kenpachi went off to go find some sticks for the marshmallows, when he left I realized a certain captain was missing.

"I'll be right back guys!" I called, but no one noticed. Too busy laughing and throwing rocks at the fire…

"Don't throw rocks at the fire! I don't want to make another one if this goes out!" I called over my shoulder.

No longer did I hear any rocks bouncing off the burning wood. I smiled to myself as I headed towards the rocks that Toshiro is standing on. I went over to join him, half way to him on the rock I realized he was in his bathing suit.

"Going swimming?" I asked, tilting my head slightly to the right.

"Yea, care to join me?"

"Surely." I said and began to strip down.

"Woah! What are you doing?" Toshiro said with a blush. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him to a quadruple take.

I laughed but managed to choke out an answer, "Don't worry…" Insert crazy laughter here, "I have a bathing suit under my clothes… see!" I said as I took off my shirt.

Toshiro pretty obviously stared at me, I started to blush and squirm a little under his gaze, finally he realized what he was doing and blushed as well.

"Ah, sorry…" He said as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"Well I think this is shallow water we should probably walk in." I said getting off the rock and cautiously walked into the water. It wasn't freezing cold, but it wasn't all that warm either. For the sound, it was perfect temperature; right in between.

"Scared?" Toshiro called from next to me.

"No, it's just I get paranoid at night, and there's black stuff in the water. I don't know if it's just sea weed or a lot of black rocks, and I don't really want to step on anything."

"Well how about I go in and then come back for you?" He posed.

"Okay!" I agreed almost immediately.

Toshiro walked out a few more feet them dove under the water. Standing up he walked back over closer to me so he wouldn't have to yell.

"Come on in!"

"Okay, okay, let me just dive in…" I dove in and doggy paddled kind of hopelessly to prevent my feet from touching the sandy bottom of the shore.

"Oi, Gracie look under you!" Toshiro called.

I looked under and saw things glowing, even though rationally I was okay, my paranoia took over and before I knew it, "I don't wanna look down! I don't wanna! Ah! Toshiro! Is it a jelly fish? Am I going to get stung?" I doggy paddled around in circles before my hand touched the sandy floor beneath me and I realized how close to shore I was, so I stood up. I was in ankle deep water and all around me was flashing these glowing white lights.

"What is that!" I asked amazed.

"It's some sort of plankton I think." Toshiro said, looking into my eyes.

I blushed and he moved closer, I went to hug him but of course someone had to ruin the mood.

"Who was just screaming?" Renji called, with his sword in hand, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, Renji, we're fine." Toshiro said grabbing my hand, which went unnoticed by the vice-captain.

I blushed, and when Renji turned around and walked away, quickly spun around and give Toshiro a quick peck on the cheek. I transported out of there as fast as I could to grab my towel to dry off/ hide my blush with it. *** Grabbing Toshiro a towel I brought it to him when he walked over here, still phased from my previous action.

"Rukia, did you put my stuff in the tent?"

"Yea Gracie, it's in the wing right to the right."

"'Kay, thanks!" I called and went to grab my stuff from the tent, on the way out I stepped in something wet.

"Ew!" I screeched. "What's in the tent?"

"Oh that, well Renji spilt his beer!" Rangiku called.

"No I didn't you kicked it out of my hands!"

"I was changing, I needed to defend myself!" ****

I rolled my eyes, "Alright guys, whatever, as long as someone cleans it up."

"Okay…"

I returned back to the fire where Kenpachi and Yachiru were sitting on the unzipped and out stretched sleeping bag of Kenpachi's. When Rangiku and Renji came over to sit, Yachiru decided for the both of them, "C'mon Kenny, lets go try to get some sleep, I'm tired!"

"Okay, Yachiru, see you guys in the morning." Kenpachi called to us.

Once he was in the tent Ichigo piped up and called, "Truth or dare Renji."

"Dare!" Was his predictable response.

"Okay! I dare you to… eat one of these hot dogs in under 20 seconds!"

"Ew." Was Rukia's and my immediate response.

"You're on!" Renji called, and before Ichigo could even start his count down, the hot dog was gone, with five bites and few seconds of chewing the hot dog was gone.

"Eeeeeew~!" All the remaining girls called.

"Okay, I think I'm going to hit the hay," Rangiku said quietly.

Matsumoto + quiet = not good. Toshiro and I shared a glace but just shrugged, maybe she just was coming down with the flu, she said she wasn't feeling all the good earlier any way. *5

"So who is going to sleep in the tent?" Renji called.

Right now it was 12:30, the time really went fast, but we didn't get everything successfully set up until 9 anyway. Around the fire there is one open sleeping bag which myself, Toshiro, Rukia and Ichigo were sitting on like this: Toshiro is closest to the fire on the left, then me, then Ichigo, and Rukia's pillow is on Ichigo's legs and she is laying across the bottom of the sleeping bag.

"I'm going to sleep out here." I said.

"Same," Toshiro said.

"What about the bugs?" Rukia asked.

"Here's the bug spray squirt," Ichigo said tossing her the Off! brand bug spray.

Spastically Rukia caught it and sprayed a thick cloud around herself.

'There is no way that much aerosol is good for the atmosphere,' Celest pointed out to me.

I laughed and decided to tune her out for the rest of the night.

"Well I don't want to chance getting bit, so I'm sleeping in the tent." Renji said, and for once Ichigo didn't argue.

"Okay spread out the blanket so that were aren't so close to the water, the tide is starting to come in," I ordered.

"Yes ma'am!" Rukia and Ichigo saluted me and got to work.

I grinned like a moron while Toshiro just sweat dropped over the whole situation.

"Well, I call sleeping somewhere in the middle, I can't sleep on the end, I get paranoid at night." Toshiro smirked at this and said, "Alright, I'll sleep on one of the ends."

Grabbing his pillow I placed it on the left side of the blanket and my pillow on the right of his. Rukia put hers next to mine and Ichigo spread out his own sleeping bag and put it next to Rukia. I knew that we basically had no intention of going to bed, but everyone really wanted to see a shooting star.

While I was sitting up trying to open, then offer Rukia and Ichigo my candy, which they greedily took all of it, I hadn't noticed that Toshiro put his arm on my pillow. When I went to lay down, his arm was automatically around my shoulders.

I looked the my right to see if Rukia and Ichigo were watching but they called, "Hey, were going to go for a walk!"

I blushed at the scene that unfolded before me, but relaxed into Toshiro's arm anyway. *6

Slowly I moved closer to him until I was resting my head on his chest and his arms were wrapped snugly and securely around my waist. His hands over my stomach holding mine in them. Every thing was serene until I ruined it, "Look a shooting star!" I removed my hand and pointed at it as it streaked across the sky.

"Was that a green one?" Toshiro asked, perplexed.

"Yea, the streak was green, so cool!" I said ecstatically with a huge smile on my face.

I went to go lie back in Toshiros arms but we both heard Rukia and Ichigo approaching fast.

"Did you guys see that!" They asked at the same time, both out of breath.

"The shooting star?" Toshiro and I said at the same time.

"Weird," all four of us said at the same time. We all gave each other strange looks *7 until I broke the tension and started to laugh. The others joined in and Rukia suggested something.

"You guys want to go up on the dunes?"

"Sure!" I replied and began to jog off, but quickly turned back around to grab my shoes, one of the rocks while I was walking over to Toshiro with a towel cut my foot.

"No we can go!" I said and jogged off, the rest of them in tow.

I stopped to take off my shoes once we reached the bottom of the dune, it was very sandy closer to the dunes themselves and there were very few rocks. There was a slight ledge that everyone had to really climb to get over, but after than it was straight up from there. The climb wasn't all that bad, maybe 50 feet but it was on a sandy dune, so it was a pretty easy climb. When we got ¾'s of the way up, we stopped to sit. Ichigo quickly dug a place for his to sit and made a sort of sand chair.

It was around 1:15 when we first got to the dunes and I don't know how long we were talking but finally, Ichigo's stomach broke the silence.

"Who wants to come down with me to get some food?" I asked.

Toshiro agreed and while he just calmly walked down the dune, I action jumped all the way down. Let me tell you now that it is as fun as it sounds.

Quickly, we grabbed the sour cream and onion chips, the chocolate, and the gram crackers. On our way back up he took the s'mores items and I kept the sour cream and onion chips. Deciding to climb up the dune again and not shunpo up it like Toshiro did, "Exercise is good for you." I called up to him.

Half a minute later I was sitting with the rest of them, slightly out of breath. I leaned back, and groaned, I forgot what we really needed.

"What?" Rukia asked.

"I forgot our towels," Sitting on the towels would be best because everything here is slightly wet, and very sandy, so at least it would prevent some sand form getting too personal with us.

"Rukia and I will get them," Ichigo offered.

"Thanks guys!" I called after their action jumping forms.

"So about before…" Toshiro began, I knew where this was headed.

"We're getting used to the way things used to be, and obviously we want that to be that way still," I completed for him.

"Yea but we're still going to need to relearn everything, as repetitious as that sounds, I think that that is the only way to truly be comfortable with, well…"

"Us?" I added as a question.

"That's what I was thinking, but can we really consider us, well, 'us'?" He said using air quotes.

"Well in the couple-y way I guess not…"

Our conversation was cut short when Rukia and Ichigo came back up the dune.

"Towel for you and for you," Rukia said handing each towel to us.

"So Rangiku is passed out half in the tent half out." Ichigo said.

"Is she alright?" I asked.

"She's probably drunk, I don't know where she would have gotten the liquor from though." Toshiro added.

"Well where ever Renji got the beer fro is where Matsumoto got drunk." Rukia deduced.

"Yea but it's really bad, Kenpachi said Yachiru woke up to the sound of someone gagging. She woke him up and he investigated, I'm pretty sure the tent is ruined."

Everyone sweat dropped, some looked towards the new comers, Kenpachi and Yachiru escaped the tent. I, however looked towards the sky, and right on time too.

"Oh another shooting star!" I called.

"Where?" Ichigo yelled.

"Stop being so loud, and it went like this," I demonstrated the path by pointing a finger but I highly doubt that he followed it.

"Well, I'm going to explore the dune, who wants to come?" I asked.

When no one answered me I just went over to Toshiro, "Alright come on, you're coming with me."

Surprisingly he made no snarky comments like I thought he would have. I climbed to the left and saw a small little path looking thing, calling Toshiro over we walked down it. It was a short path and it led behind a bush to s small clearing that was flat. Toshiro and I stood on it in awe, it was like a personal balcony.

He grabbed m hand and I turned to look at him. Very clichéd like, we kissed under the stars, at the beach but it was different this time compared to his little 'experiment', it was real and the sparks had returned. Before it could go any farther, which a small part of me hoped that it would, Yachiru called out.

"Hey guys where are you? I want to go for a walk."

"Shall we walk?" I asked, tilting my head slightly to the side.

"Surely. Oh and Gracie?" Toshiro said.

"Yea?"

He moved closer, so close I could feel his breath on my neck as he leaned down.

"I love when you make that face." He whispered into my ear.

God, did it trigger some sort of reaction. I shivered and watched his back as he walked away. Coming out of the clearing I also noticed how giddy it made me.

"Come on Chi! Let's go!" I called happily.

"Yayay! Gracie-chan's in on this. Why aren't you that excited Kenny?"

Everyone shared a laugh at Kenpachi's face. *8

"So where are we walking to?" Toshiro asked.

"Well when Ichigo and I were on that walk we saw a water trampoline, maybe there is a beach club or something pretty close to here?"

"Then we will walk there!" Yachiru announced loudly.

"Shhh!" I scolded, "Don't wake up Rakgiku!"

"Sorry," she sheepishly stage whispered back to me.

"So who wants me to get their shoes?" I asked, going to grab mine. There was no way I was going to walk on any rock without them, being on the dunes I actually think some sand got into the tiny cut and it was irritating me.

"Me!" Rukia whisper-called.

Toshiro grabbed his himself and we set off. By now it was nearly three and we though it couldn't take all that long to get to the beach club, right?

Well we have bee walking for about a half hour now and basically everyone who didn't bring shoes feet started to hurt.

"Come on guys, it has to be somewhere near here. I even think I can see a lifeguard stand, let's go!"

"No leave us here, even Yachiru is tired, how are you still not about to pass out?" Ichigo whispered to me, trying not to wake up the sleeping Rukia he had on his lap.

We were all sitting down, but I got up, bringing Toshiro along with me.

"What ever we're going to find this beach club, come on."

Not letting go of my hand, Toshiro and I ended up holding hands on our mission to find the beach club. I could tell he was about to ask if he could turn around but I started to run, and tugged on his arm to keep going.

"I see a lifeguard stand, I swear!"

He didn't budge.

"Come on!"

Still nothing but a cold glare.

I ran to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him tightly to me. I started to fake cry and looked up at him, the moonlight glistening on the tears really sold the whole scene.

"Alright, alright." He said, but did something again I did not expect.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and not was holding me to him, slowly he kissed away the fake tears from my face. I saw so stunned I failed to notice that his hands already unwound from my waist and he was dragging me by my hands to keep going.

"Are you okay Toshiro?"

"Yea I'm fine why?"

"You're not acting yourself…"

"Eh, it's probably because I'm so tired." But he winked at me when he finished talking so I knew it wasn't the case.

I snapped myself out of it and began to run to catch up to him, finally we ended up beside volleyball nets. I looked towards the water and sure enough there was a water trampoline. The beach club was actually not that big, about the size of the four divisions training grounds. Which were the smallest in the Gotei 13 because no one really trained there.

"Yes we made it!" I called, high-fiving Toshiro.

"Okay, now we can go back." Toshiro said, seemingly admitting defeat to the tiredness.

"Yep! Oh, but do you think we could shunpo back?"

"'Course."

"We will also see how Rangiku is when we get back?" I phrased it as a question to try to get him to fall into my trap.

"'Course."

"And you are going to give me a piggy back ride back to camp, right?"

"'Course."

"Yes!"

"Wait- what?"

"Nope you said you would give me a piggy back ride, let me get on your back!"

Somewhere in the distance I heard a laugh and what was most likely a perverted comment.

"Ugh fine."

"Yay!" I beamed.

When we reached Kenpachi, Yachiru, Rukia and Ichigo; Ichigo has a giant lump on his head. Rukia was awake, Yachiru was asleep and Kenpachi looked impatient.

"Okay everyone, lets head back!" I said, acting oblivious to the fact I was getting death glares from Ichigo and Kenpachi. I'm pretty sure they just want to head back to camp.

"Let's get back as quick as we can, okay?"

"Agreed." Everyone mumbled in synchronization.

About 30 seconds later we were all back at camp. *9

It's around 4:30 now *10 and the sun was beginning to rise. When walking past the tent we all noticed the disgusting smell emanating from it.

"What is that?" I asked, hand over my mouth.

"I dunno." Rukia added.

I started to gag when I went back in front of the tent to check it out.

"Gracie!" Toshiro called and ran to my side.

If I wasn't hacking up a lung I would have thought it to be really sweet.

"Oh my god, Renji is in there!" Rukia wailed.

"Alright dude, I'm coming in!" Ichigo called and heroically went to rescue him.

No so heroically Ichigo fell out of the tent with Renji on his back, "He's… heavy."

I suppressed a laugh but in the process sucked in some of the smell and the hacking began again.

Renji was passed out *11, slowly Renji began to stir. Actually it happened rather quickly, it was just a slow process before Kenpachi decided to throw some water on his head.

"Renji are you alright? Brother would have killed me if I let you die because of some stank fumes." Rukia called.

"The fumes, they made me hungry, no lie. The only thing I had in there was cheese doodles, I don't even like cheese doodles but I ate them anyway. I mean, the smell I guess wasn't too bad I took 2 or 3 advil so I guess it was kind of numbed."

"You are a brave, brave soul." I said.

"Who says we start pacing things up? It's almost 5 now." Toshiro interjected.

"Okay." Kenpachi and Ichigo begrudgingly agreed.

Toshiro directed where to put everything and Yachiru was on his shoulders mimicking him, Rukia and I folded up clothes, blankets and ended up having to cut a hole onto the tent to get Yachiru, Kenpachi and Renji's stuff. *12

When Ichigo and Kenpachi were done cleaning everything else, the only thing left was to wake up Rangiku and take down the tent. Going over to wake her up, Rukia the brave soul that she is, screamed.

We all ran over to the tent as she screamed, "Oh my god, it looks like a pile of shit!" Ichigo spoke our minds.

There sitting near the entrance to the tent, though it is inside, was literally a piece of shit. I looked to Toshiro to see if he had any answer but he was looking towards Ichigo.

Ichigo was slowly backing away, but I transported to him and grabbed his collar.

"What do you know of this?" I asked. Slowly allowing fire to nip and his face until he cracked.

"Well when I came to get the towels Rangiku was awake complaining about having to go to the bathroom, I didn't think much of it and just came back to the dunes."

"Ewwwww. So she did poop in the tent. Gross." I said.

Then Rukia and I looked at each other.

'There is no way I am cleaning it up.'

'Me either.'

"Shotty not!" *13 Rukia and I called at the same time touching out noses.

Yachiru repeated, as did Kenpachi, Ichigo and Renji which meant. . .

"Toshiro, you kind of lost." I pointed out.

"Lost what?"

"Do you know what shotty not is?"

"Yea but I don't get what we were doing it- oh shit."

"Shit's right man," Ichigo said, and Renji and Kenpachi erupted in laughter.

"Sorry Toshiro, but it's rule. Who ever looses has to pick it up and wake up Rangiku." Rukia said, unfreezing from her fear.

The air got 30 degrees colder as he glared all of us down. Rukia's fear returned but with a plastic bag Toshiro picked up the crap as if you would pick up a dogs, he then tossed it into the trees.

"Matsumoto, get up." Toshiro called.

Snore.

"Matsumoto!"

Nothing.

"MATSUMOTO!"

Zip, zero, zilch, nada.

Sigh, "I got this Toshiro." Walking closer I called to her, "Matsumoto, all the sake in the world is gone." I stated simply.

1…2…3- "WHAT?"

"Rangiku are you alright?" Rukia asked.

"Yea, I'm fine why wouldn't I be." When she got up a whole new wave of disgusting smell washed over us.

Yet again I gagged. "Rangiku, I suggest you jump in the water before we go home."

"Why?" She asked. Either really clueless, really hungover, or just pretending that last night never happened.

"Well we all were going to go for a swim and it just wouldn't be the same without you." Renji explain with.

'Nice one.' I said to him mentally.

"No it's salt water, it will ruin my hair. I think I'll just bath when we get back to soul society."

"Okay…"

'Oh god.' Was everyone's mental thoughts, plus a sweat drop once Rangiku turned her head.

Boy was this going to be fun explaining. *14

* * *

* Mind you there was no drinking at this party, excluding one really stupid friend which is what made this night memorable, but the cooler only had water and soda in it.  
** Really I just didn't know what curse to put so I just did a few of these )$(*&^# :D  
*** Gracie and Toshiro, without the pressure and stress of soul society are allowing their relationship to revert back to the way it was in the original universe. (Rangiku: Ooh lala~. Me: Shaddup! You don't even know about that! Rangiku: Know about what? Me: Nothing…)  
**** This was the only other incident with beer. My friends sisters boyfriend (SF) went to get a beer from my friends house. And my friend (MM) was changing in the tent. SF came in and MM freaked out and literally kicked him out, spilling his beer in the process.  
*5 This was the friend who someone drank so much she felt sick (SR). Well this was her excuse anyway.  
*6 This never happened, one of the add ons for cuteness!  
*7 like this: O_o  
*8 It was something like this -_-  
*9 The only reason I had them shunpo back was because the walk back to camp felt faster than the walk to the beach club.  
*10 4:30 am incase you couldn't tell. And that is also what time it is right now as I am writing this =3  
*11 This didn't happen to my friend (MP), he didn't pass out, he just refused to exit the tent :] but what Renji is going to say when he wakes up actually is what he said.  
*12 we didn't really cut a hole in the tent, my friend (TH) was brave enough to go in there and rescue everyone's stuff.  
*13 for those of you who don't know what shotty not is, here is the urban dictionary definition: what you say when you don't want to do something. and in doing so, you must touch your nose. whoever's last, loses, and has to do the bitch work.  
*14 so as I finish this it's 5:12 am and I actually just heard my NEIGHBORS alarm clock go off. Oh well, i'm going to go get some sleep. Hop eyou had fun reading this, oh and one last question:  
CRAZY RIGHT!


	2. Chapter 2

Thought of this last night, what could be better? Hahah xD

Cross over between my two active stories, this story is basically going to ALWAYS cross over any and all my active stories that I chose.

"Oh my god, finally!" Gracie called,

"I-I'm not dead.." Matsumoto trailed off dazed.

"You're all idiots," Hitsugaya slammed the driver's side door.

"I still can't believe that we missed the plane to exchange, stupid car rental," Gracie kicked the car, then ended up hopping away on one foot while holding the other in pain.

Matsumoto started to laugh at her and Hitsugaya merely rolled his eyes at his friends.

_*~THIRTY-TWO HOURS ERALIER~*_

"Kisuke~" Matsumoto called.

The shopkeeper sighed and took Matsumoto's heavy luggage and piled it into the back of one of the taxi's.

She giggled a, "thank you," and piled into the back of said taxi, and 'accidentally' pushed Gracie half way onto Hitsugaya's lap.

Kisuke locked the front of the shop, then hopped into the other taxi with Tsukiko and Yoruichi.

_*~AN HOUR LATER~*_

"I. Hate. The-the... cars! All of them!" Tsukiko said annoyed.

"Traffic," Matsumoto whispered into here ear, making Tsukiko flush a little.

The other girls just laughed a little and continued hauling their luggage to Gate 137.

"Remind me why, exactly, we are doing this?" Kisuke question Hitsugaya, who just shook his head in defeat.

"What else was Gracie going to suggest when Captain-Commander gave Matsumoto and I two weeks of break time. She loves the beaches.." Hitsugaya trailed off.

"And you love her," Kisuke completed for him.

Hitsugaya stammered out a, "n-no I don't!" But Kisuke wasn't fooled, like every one else. The only on who failed to notice is the girl herself, Graciela... how clichéd.

"Alright guys, the plane boards in five minutes we need to go now!" Yoruichi called assertively from her position in the crowd fifty feet ahead of the rest.

The others sweat dropped but picked up the pace nonetheless.

"So why are you here? Why did you bring Tsukiko along?" Hitsugaya questioned Kisuke.

"Matsumoto asked if we would like to join you guys and Yoruichi jumped at the opportunity to go to the beach.. so she says anyway," under his breath he added, "I think it's just cause she wants to wear a bikini and be see in one."

"WHAT WAS THAT KISUKE!" Yoruichi called from the boarding line, yes they reached the gate just in time.

"Nothing, noting at all. Ah-hah.." Kisuke rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

_*~TWO MINUTES LATER~*_

"Look Toshiro!" Gracie called excitedly, "we get to sit next to each other!"

"Only if I get the window seat," he head matter-of-factly.

"I would rather sit in the aisle anyway, you know, to talk with every one!" Her bubbly attitude was slightly unsettling the passenger behind her who hates flying, and was about to puke just _sitting_ in the plane.

Across the aisle from Gracie and Toshiro, Matsumoto and Tsukiko were chatting idly about fashion stuffs. In front of them, Yoruichi and Kisuke sat, Kisuke was looking out the window and Yoruichi sat adding input to the fashion conversation sometimes.

Matsumoto, earlier, was bragging on how Tsukiko has such an amazing fashion sense and picked out the outfits that the girls, excluding Gracie, were wearing.

"Oh, Tsukiko!" The latter called.

"Yes, Graciela?"

"First, call me Gracie. Two, can I call you Kiko? Oh and when we get down to Vero, can I go shopping with you?"

Bombarded with questions, she just nodded her head, slightly stunned by Gracie's bubbliness. Sure, Tsukiko is always pleasantly happy, but Gracie? Tsukiko thinks she's just over doing it.

"Awesome! So Shiro…" and their own conversation started.

"So... does Graciela give nicknames to every one?"

Matsumoto nodded her head gravely, "she even started calling me Matsui cause she saw the name of a baseball player on a sports magazine Kenpachi had. She thought that it was so similar to my name and it just stuck."

'I am so sorry for you," Tsukiko consoled.

_*~THIRTEEN HOURS LATER~*_

"Hurry up!" Yoruichi called, running ahead.

Every one was sprinting across JFK airport to get to Gate c38, their transfer flight to Florida's Orlando airport.

"I was just on a 13 hour flight! My legs aren't working correctly!" Matsumoto yelled back in slight protest after she narrowly missed face planting, but continued to run anyway.

"WAIT!" Gracie screamed out. Every stopped and looked back at her, "I have to pee!"

She ran off in the direction of the bathrooms they just passed. Every one sweat dropped, "doesn't she realize that there are bathrooms on the plane?"

"We have to go though!" Yoruichi called.

"You three go ahead, Matsumoto and I will stay behind. Tell them that we're coming and to hold the gates open just for a few more minutes." Hitsugaya directed.

"Alright, let's go," Yoruichi commanded.

Now, me and you know that airports don't roll that way. So the gates closed and the plane moved onto the runway for departure. Tsukiko, Yoruichi, and Kisuke all had a strange feeling of how the other three would end up...

"I demand you let us onto the plane now!" Hitsugaya yelled angrily at the shorter man.

"I-I'm sorry sir, but it's already on the runway, it should be taking off as we speak."

"Fine, what can we do?" Hitsugaya gave in and surrendered his anger.

"Well you can purchase a new ticket-"

"No out of the question, these tickets were too much to begin with."

"You could rent a car and drive down."

The thought was appealing to Graciela, who drove to Florida when she was a kid with her parents, before Hitsugaya could say no considering he hasn't driven since soul society made him take a road test, 'just in case' they said.

"Yes! Oh! Can we get one with a navigation system?"

It was a surprise to Hitsugaya and Matsumoto, who don't even know what a nav system is, that Gracie does, considering she has been lost to the world of the livings technology for 50 years.

"Sure, just follow me, we can fill out the paper work."

Gracie followed behind the man, luggage in tow. The other two just shrugged and followed the shorter, than both of them, girl.

_*~FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER~*_

"Gracie."

"Yes Shiro?"

He sighed at the nickname, both annoyed at it and sad since it reminded him of Hinamori.

"You do realize that it's costing 800 dollars to rent this car for two weeks?"

"Eh-heh.. I would pay but I only have 200 that I saved up, I'm sorry."

"You didn't need to pay, but I hope that you realize you're doing my paper work for the next month."

"I figured something along those line was coming," Gracie deadpanned, "but what about Matsumoto?"

"Oh she'll do hers, I'll be taking a break."

"Selfish!" But they just laughed as Matsumoto attempted to slam the car trunk, her suitcases pretty much overflowed the space.

"Shot gun!" Gracie screamed, she always wanted to sit in the front on a long car ride like this.

"I'd rather have the back anyway," Matsumoto called out. Even though Gracie realized that she got the sweeter deal, it's called reclining seats, so she should be good.

"Okay, so this is where you put in the address," Gracie was talking to herself while figuring out the GPS.

"Starting point, JFK airport... ah! Okay, we're all set and on course!"

**In eighty yards, turn right, then stay right.**

"Oh look," Gracie called while pulling something out of the glove box, "they even gave us an easy pass for toll charges!"

"You mean I have to pay more?" Hitsugaya yelled, and almost crashed into the car in front. His crazy breaking sent Matsumoto off the back seat and into the back of the driver's seat, then to the floor.

"Ow..."

The three then erupted in hysterics and continued their drive over the Verrazano bridge to staten island, then the Goethals bridge to New Jersey and way ward..

_*~THREE HOURS LATER~*_

"Are you absolutely sure that Hitsugaya, Graciela and Matsumoto are going to make it?" Tsukiko asked worriedly.

Now that their flight landed, and there really is no sight of the three, all were getting slightly worried.

"Yea, sooner or later they'll show up at the resort, now.. oh! There's the mickey hand." Kisuke called.

"What about it?" Yoruichi asked, pointedly staring down the young man with the Mickey Mouse glove over his right hand.

"We go to the Mickey hand that says 'Vero Beach Resort', then that leads us to a bus to get to the resort." Kisuke said condescendingly.

"Alright.. is you're sure they'll be fine.." Tsukiko gave up her questioning and followed the other two to the older woman with the Mickey hand, standing next to a sign that says, VERO BEACH RESORT.

…

"Yellow one!" Matsumoto called and punched Hitsugaya's shoulder.

"Oh damn it, stop doing that! Why are you only hitting me! Gracie is playing too!" Hitsugaya screamed at Matsumoto.

He sighed, "I can't believe I'm going to be stuck in a car with you two for another 14 hours!"

"How come there has been like no traffic?" Gracie asked, trying to get Hitsugaya's mind off the rant.

"Well considering we left at three in the morning..."

"Oh.. yea."

_*~FOUR MORE HOURS LATER~*_

Hitsugaya is struggling to keep himself awake, he only slept for five hours on the plane that night, and the traffic he is in (somewhere in Virginia), isn't helping to keep him awake.

Thankfully, Matsumoto fell asleep back in Maryland. Not so thankfully, so did Gracie, the only one who could hold conversation to keep him awake.

"Toshiro..." Gracie said softly and sadly.

That woke him up.

_'She's still upset about everything that's happened between you two, I hope you know that.' _Hyourinmaru said, finally. It took him a lot of power to restrain telling Hitsugaya the obvious fact.

_'What? She is?' _

Hyourinmaru chuckled, _'I can't believe you haven't noticed.'_

_'But.. she forgave me.' _Hitsugaya tried to ration as the interstate decongested.

'_She's not stupid, of course she's going to forgive you for something that you had no control of and that she knows you regret having to do to her. But, if she didn't love you so much, she wouldn't even put up with the pain of being around you?'_

_'What are you saying Hyourinmaru?' _Hitsugaya growled, hitting the accelerator; passing a car.

_'She doesn't trust you, not as much, well barely; anymore. She's protected herself and put up her guard closer around her heart. It hurts her to be around you, because she knows she doesn't trust you; but wants to. Though her spirits, especially Ella,' _Hyourinmaru chuckled, _'won't allow her to break them down. Not for anyone, not yet.'_

Hitsugaya ended the conversation, and looked over at Graciela; as if for the first time. He noticed the slight purple under her eyes from not getting enough sleep, he noticed how her eyes never seem to lose the puffiness, and the redness. He noticed slight lines along her forehead and by her petite, red, lips. Worry lines. Frown lines.

He mentally kicked himself for allowing her to become like so, and promised he would talk to her. Really talk to her, when they get some alone time.

He hit the accelerator to pass a slower car, with newfound determination, he pressed on to his hared destination.

_*~TWO HOURS LATER~*_

"Welcome to the Disney resort, Vero Beach!" A spirited employee called, "I hope you enjoy your time here!"

Tsukiko, Yoruichi and Kisuke passed by the lady on the way off the bus with a slight smile. After retrieving their luggage they actually looked at the resort thy are going to be staying in.

"It's beautiful," Tsukiko observed.

Yoruichi nodded her head in agreement, Kisuke just walked ahead and asked the question on his mind.

"So who's name are the rooms in?"

"Probably Hitsugaya's, his division is the one that payed for this vacation anyway."

Speaking of Hitsugaya...

"I spy, with my little eye... something-"

"MATSUMOTO THAT'S ENOUGH!" Hitsugaya screamed at her, finally loosing his cool. After all, he is a bit cranky after driving so long.

"What I was just-"

A full argument ensued, waking up the still sleeping Gracie.

"Guys-" she tried to get their attention but they were still screaming at each other.

"I don't want to raise my voice-" she hates yelling at people, but boy were they annoying her.

_'That's it..' _"SHUT UP!"

The car went deathly quiet.

"Toshiro, pull over at the next rest area. We need gas and you both need to relax. Get some fresh air it'll be good for you."

_*~THIRTY MINUTES LATER~*_

"Great, now we're going to be late-"

"Well if you didn't fall asleep!-"

"Well if you woke me up!-"

"GUYS!" Gracie resulted in screaming again.

"Thank you, how about some radio? It's XM, good stuff."

Again they wondered about Gracie's ability to know about modern things like GPS, and XM radio.

_'Maybe she studies it?'_ Matsumoto thought but gave it up when a song with a good beat came on.

…

"This room, it's amazing!" Yoruichi complimented.

"It's even connected to the other," Tsukiko observed.

"Yea, but there's only one problem," Kisuke said darkly.

"There are only three beds, and a pull out couch."

Yoruichi and Tsukiko looked to each other, the other confirming the unasked question. They ran into the bedroom with two separate beds and yelled, "SHOTTY!"

They threw their suitcases at the foot of the bed that the claimed.

Walking back out, they saw that Kisuke had on a devilish look, "want to play a joke on Hitsugaya and Gracie?"

_*~FOUR HOURS LATER~*_

"Are we there yet?"

"Matsumoto, for the last time, no! We still have four and a half hours left!"

Hitsugaya's patience was wearing thin, so he looked over to Gracie for help.

She scrambled into the back seat to sit and talk with Matsumoto, but not without calling to Hitsugaya, "put the same station as before on; 20."

"Can do," he nodded his head.

"Hey, at least we're in Florida!" She said to reassure Matsumoto.

_*~THIRTY MINUTES LATER~*_

"Is this the song from before?" Matsumoto asked excitedly.

"Yes!"

The two sat up straighter and, rolling down the windows and opening the sun roof (because Hitsugaya wouldn't go from the convertible) and started to belt the lyrics.

People from the cars next to them with open windows actually started singing along as well..

"I KISSED A GIRL AND I LIKED IT.

THE TASTE OF HER CHERRY CHAPSTICK.

I KISSED A GIRL JUST TO TRY IT, I HOPE MY BOYFRIEND WON'T MIND IT.

IT FELT TO WRONG.

IT FELT SO RIGHT.

DN'T MEAN IM IN LOVE TONIGHT.

I KISSE A GIRL AND I LIKED IT.

I LIKED IT!"

The girls in the backseat earned hollers from people in the cars next to them, who also continued the song.

"Us girls we are so magical, soft skin red lips so kissable! Hard to resist so touchable," Hitsugaya actually blushed at the lyrics.

The girls fell into hysterics in the back seat, it was just too much fun to pass up. After encouraging honks from other cars, and more people opening up their windows, another song came on the radio.

At the first words, "if I could write you a song amd make you, fall in love I would already have you up under my arm..."

Graciela and Matsumoto fumbled around the car, while loudly singing, for their sunglasses. They found it in time to call out..

"You probably won't you think you're cooler than me!"

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes at them, and the other cars that are belting the lyrics as well.

_'How can they have fun with this?'_ He asked Hyourinmaru.

_'I can see how, but I wouldn't.'_

_'Yea, neither would I... though this song does have a good beat...'_

"You got designer shades just to hide your face and, you wear 'em around like you're cooler than me."

The other car continued for them, "and oyu never say hey or remember my name and it's probably 'cuz you think you're cooler than me."

_*~ONE HOUR LATER~*_

"So it's six o' clock, how many more hours do we have left?" Matsumoto annoyed Gracie and Toshiro.

"Three, only three more hours."

With Gracie back in the front seat, talking with Toshiro who is watching the road, Matsumoto found her chance.

Quickly, from her carry on bag, she produced a small flask of sake. How she managed to get it by security is amazing considering that she was flying to and in the united States. But then again, she's Matsumoto, and she's a wearing one of the outfits Tsukiko picked out for her; short jean shorts and a revealing top. A short sleeved kind of cowgirl shirt, in a mod floral patter, that is buttoned down until it ties right at Matsumoto's naval.

Quickly, she downed the entire flask like it was a shot.

_*~HALF AN HOUR LATER~*_

_'Matsumoto's too quiet...' _Gracie thought.

_'Toshiro,' _she called to him, '_is Matsumoto alright?'_

_'Yea, why wouldn't she be?'_

_'I don't know she just seems... too quiet. She isn't sleeping either,' _Gracie looked back at Matsumoto to check for visible eyes to confirm her statement.

"Matsumoto," Hitsugaya called, "are you alright?"

"Jus'," _hic, _"f-fiiiine~"

"Oh dear god.." Hitsugaya and Gracie called out at the same time.

"She's drunk isn't she?" Gracie pointed out their greatest fear.

"What're ya t-," _hic, _"talking 'boutt?" No answer. "Gu~ys!" She pouted, after a few moments she realized that she was being ignored and started to throw a drunken fit.

…

"They really don't know what they're missing," Tsukiko pointed out from a lounge chair on the ocean shore.

"You can say that again," Kisuke agreed.

Yoruichi showed up, "a mudslide for my good man," she giggled, "strawberry daiquiri for moi, and a virgin piña colada for my good friend."

Yoruichi's cheeks are slightly pink from the nice buzz she's building up, Kisuke on the other hand, was red for a whole other reason. He neglected sun screen and fell asleep in the sun a short time after they planned their prank on Gracie and Hitsugaya. Tsukiko wasn't too fond of the idea so to give Kisuke pay back that neither of the two who are going to get pranked, would give. At least it wasn't likely for them to plan anything anyway.

Tsukiko, noticing Kisuke snoring _very_ loudly, covered her hand in sunscreen. When she was sure he wouldn't notice, she put her hand on his bare chest and let the sunscreen form a hand print.

Now Kisuke's sitting in the chair sulking about the _very _white hand print on his chest compared the the lobster color of the rest of his skin.

"Oh lighten up, you prank, and get pranked in return," Tsukiko said with a playful smile.

He rolled his eyes and settled for lowering his hat over his eyes (which he also received weird tan from).

_*~ONE HOUR LATER~*_

"You just had to have me duct tape her mouth shut! Now if people drive by us they'll think we kidnapped her!" Gracie hald yelled at Hitsugaya.

"Would you rather hear her drunken ramblings about you and I?"

"No..." Gracie replied slowly.

In that time they weren't paying attention to Matsumoto. Since Gracie wasn't holding her wrists any more, Matsumoto ripped off the duct tape and opened the window.

Ironically, the song 'Shots' by LMFAO and Lil Jon, came on the radio.

Matsumoto threw her head out of the window to sing, like before. Well at least she intended on just putting her head out the window.

Half of her body fell out of the open window, and if Gracie didn't get a hold on her feet, she would have been out on the highway and flattened.

Matsumoto, bent in half over the window sill, with the window slightly in her middle, was screaming the lyrics.

"Shots, shot, shots, sho-sho-sho-shot, shots, everybody!"

"GET HER IN THE WINDOW!" Hitsugaya screamed over the blaring horns.

"I'm trying!" Gracie responded exasperatedly.

"If you ain't come to party get the f-sfkgkn," Gracie threw her hand over Matumoto's mouth and tried to duck her head to she could pull her in, but alas it didn't work.

"So cups in the air, everybody lets take shots! Lalalala~" Matsumoto screeched when Gracie's hand flew off of her mouth, and once again she was hanging half way out the window.

"Toshiro," Gracie said desperately, "start rolling up the window, if she notices maybe she'll pull her self in, or at least give into my pulling."

"There's one thing wrong with that, if she doesn't notice it'll cut her stomach-"

"Yea.."

At a loss, Gracie and Toshiro stared at each other via the rear view mirror, trying to formulate a plan only by looking at each other.

"AH!" Matsumoto screamed and pulled her body straight into the car, not without smashing her head on the roof of the car though.

Quickly she rolled out the window, "it smells like rotten sake!" Whatever what smells like, though Matsumoto was just jumbling her words together, thinking of sake and a bad smell didn't exactly mix.

But Gracie and Hitsugaya are satisfied, Matsumoto shut up and stopped her complaining because every time she would, Hitsugaya or Gracie threatened to open all the windows (even though the smell already passed, Matsumoto was too drunk to use her common sense to realize it).

_*~AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER~*_

"Oh my god, finally!" Gracie called,

"I-I'm not dead.." Matsumoto trailed off dazed and still somewhat drunk.

"You're all idiots," Hitsugaya slammed the driver's side door.

"I still can't believe that we missed the plane to exchange, stupid car rental," Gracie kicked the car, then ended up hopping away on one foot while holding the other in pain.

Matsumoto started to laugh at her and Hitsugaya merely rolled his eyes at his friends.

"So Matsumoto," Gracie started, "what exactly did you drink?"

"Well, I brought a small flask of my strongest sake, but I was so bored and I kind of forgot how strong it was... so I just drank the whole thing." She giggled, nearly tripping into a light haired man.

Although her speech was back to normal, her actions till weren't.

Gracie and Hitsugaya each brought a couple bags of Matsumoto's luggage, plus their own, to the front desk.

"Reservation name, please," the lady at the front desk in a hawaiian shirt called to Hitugaya.

"Hitsugaya," he said simply.

"Oh! The rest of your party has already checked it, here are your room keys," she handed each one of them cards, Hitsugaya took Matsumoto's, "they also double as a credit card," that sobered Matsumoto up completely but Hitsugaya shot her a warning glance, "and you can leave your luggage right here, "she pointed next to her counter, "someone will bring them too your room shortly. Enjoy your stay!"

The group departed from the counter, and Gracie shuddered in anger as she recalled the way the woman at the desk was staring at Hitsugaya. She shook her head, _'he isn't mine. I shouldn't be..'_

But the opening of their room interrupted her thoughts.

Stepping in, Kisuke, Tsukiko and Yoruichi were all sitting on the pull out couch watching tv.

"Guys!" Gracie called and ran up to hug everyone.

With Tsukiko is was an awkward gesture, Yoruichi was in her cat for so she merely pet her head, and Kisuke was screaming in pain after the hug, thanks to his sun burn.

"So where's the beds?" Hitsugaya asked, just wanting to drop everything and go to sleep.

"Matsumoto is sharing a bed with me," Tsukiko said, moving for Matsumoto's things so she didn't have to be there hen the prank was played.

"And the others?" Gracie asked.

"Well.., about that," Kisuke started, "you and Hitsugaya here are going to have to share a bed."

Gracie and Hitsugaya both went bright red, looked at each other, then back away.

Kisuke couldn't handle it any more, he burst out laughing.

"That was- that was just a joke," hahahaha, "Gracie you're really-," hahah." really sharing a bed with Yoruichi and Hitsugaya, you get the separate room all to yourself." More maniacal laughter embarrassed Gracie even further and tears sprouted in her eyes.

She excused herself, "I'll be out side," then left through the kitchen to the veranda.

"Look what you did!" Hitsugaya said angrily at Kisuke, Yoruichi left for her room to change back into human form, then went to go comfort Gracie, aka bring her into the room with the other girls.

Kisuke was left alone after the slamming of a few doors, "whaaat! What'd I do?"

The girls door was open and they threw multiple pillows at Kisuke, even though they were pillows, the touch of anything made his sunburn scream.

He also got a feeling that if they had their swords handy, that would have been what they threw at him.

He sighed then plopped down on his back, which cause his sunburn pain again.

Oh boy, would karma get him back.

So glad I finished this! There's only 5% battery life remaining on my laptop!

Sunday August 1st 2:33 pm.


End file.
